Sheikh Nahyan launches Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

Super special spectator stage gives powerful start to dramatic desert rally

Dubai, UAE, 3 April, 2016:  H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and Chairman of the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, today officially launched the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge POWERED BY Nissan.

Sheikh Nahyan, accompanied by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club for the UAE, the rally organisers, flagged away leading competitors on the super special spectator stage at Al Forsan International Sports Resort.

Polish driver Jakub Przygonski and American Bryce Menzies, both driving Minis, shared the fastest time in the 54-strong cars category while this year's Dakar Rally winner Toby Price was quickest of the 39 riders as competitors raced head-to-head on the twisting 2km track.

The event continues tomorrow (Sunday) morning with the first of five competitive desert stages leading to the finish at Yas Marina Circuit on Thursday.

Super special spectator stage results:

Cars

1. Jakub Przygonski / Tom Colsoul (POL / BEL) Mini All4 Racing T1.2               1:49.0
2. Bryce Menzies / Andreas Schulz (USA / DEU) Mini All4 Racing T1.2             1:49.0
3. Mikko Hirvonen / Michel Perin (FIN / FRA) Mini All4 Racing T1.2                    1:50.0
4. Mark Dabrowski / Jacek Czachor (POL / POL) Toyota Hilux T1.1                   1:50.0
5. Yazeed Al-Rajhi / Timo Gotschalk (KSA / DEU) Mini All4 Racing T1.2            1:51.0
6. Vladimir Vasilyev / Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS / RUS) Mini All4 Racing T1.2    1:53.0
7. Nasser Al-Attiyah / Mathieu Baumel (QAT / FRA) Toyota Hilux T1.1               1:53.0
8. Yuriy Sazonov / Dmytro Tsyro (KAZ / RUS) Hummer H3 Evo V T1.1              1:53.0 
9. Shk Khalid Al Qassimi / Khalid Al Kendi (ARE /ARE) Mini All4 Racing T1.2    1:55.0
10. Stephan Schott / Holm Schmidt (DEU / DEU) Mini All4 Racing T1.2              1:56.0

Bikes

1. Toby Price (AUS) KTM 450 Rally Factory 1                                   1:52.0
2. Sam Sunderland (GBR) KTM 450 Rally Factory 1                         1:55:0
3. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL) Husqvarna 450 Rally Factory 1               1:55.0
4. Pierre Alexandre Renet (FRA) Husqvarna 450 Rally Factory 1     1:55.0
5. Helder Rodrigues (POR) Yamaha WR 450 1                                 1:58.0
6. Laia Sanz (ESP) KTM 450 Rally Factory 1/3                                  2:02.0
7. Jakub Piatek (POL) KTM 450 Rally Replica ¼                               2:03.0
8. Ignacio Casale (CHL) Yamaha Raptor 700 2                                 2:03.0
9. Txomin Arana Cobeaga (ESP) Husqvarna 450 Rally Replica 1     2:04.0
10. Mohammed Al Balooshi (ARE) KTM 450 Rally Replica                2:05.0